Large eddy simulation of methane–air deflagration in an obstructed chamber using different combustion models

In this paper, simulations of methane–air deflagration inside a semi-confined chamber with three solid obstacles have been carried out with large eddy simulation (LES) technique. Three sub-grid scale (SGS) combustion models, including power-law flame wrinkling model by Charlette et al., turbulent flame speed closure (TFC) model, and eddy dissipation model (EDM), are applied. All numerical results have been compared to literature experimental data. It is found that the power-law flame wrinkling model by Charlette et al. is able to better predict the generated pressure and other flame features, such as flame structure, position, speed and acceleration against measured data. Based on the power-law flame wrinkling model, the flame–vortex interaction during the deflagration progress is also investigated. The results obtained have demonstrated that higher turbulence levels, induced by obstacles, wrinkle the flame and then increase its surface area, the burning rates and the flame speed.     

容积式受限空间油气爆燃火焰特征的实验研究

根据容积式受限空间油气爆燃火焰特征实验研究的需要,设计了实验系统,进行了不同油气体积分数下的油气爆燃模拟实验。基于实验所得的瞬时火焰信号数据与火焰图像,分析了不同油气体积分数下容积式受限空间内油气爆燃的火焰形态结构、传播速度、强度与持续时间等主要行为特征,所得结果对探索油气爆燃机理与基本规律具有重要参考意义。     

Simple method for predicting pressure behavior during gas explosions in confined spaces considering flame instabilities

It is indispensable to predict the pressure behavior caused by gas explosions for the safety management against accidental gas explosions. In this study, a simple method for predicting the pressure behavior during gas deflagrations in confined spaces was examined. Previously the pressure behavior was calculated analytically assuming laminar flame propagation. However, the results of this method often provide underestimation compared with experimental data. It was known the underestimation intensifies as the scale of explosion spaces becomes larger. On the large scale gas deflagration, flame instability (especially hydrodynamic instability) might be more effective and wrinkles appeared on the flame front. Then, the flame surface area was increased and the propagating flame was gradually accelerated. The ordinary prediction methods led to the underestimation because the propagating flame was assumed to be laminar. In this study, we considered the effect of flame wrinkles caused by flame instabilities. By regarding the flame front as a fractal structure, the flame surface area could be modified. Because a flame surface starts to be wrinkled on a certain flame radius, proper determination of the critical flame radius provided accurate prediction of pressure behavior on a large scale deflagration. In addition, correction of the K_G value in a large vessel was discussed.     

Application of the TNO multi-energy and Baker-Strehlow-Tang methods to predict hydrogen explosion effects from small-scale experiments

Analytical models or abacus are of importance to predict explosion effects in open and congested areas for industrial safety reasons. The goal of this work is to compare overpressure and flame speed values of small-scale deflagration experiments to predicted values from the TNO multi-energy (TNO ME) method and the Baker-Strehlow-Tang (BST) method. Experiments were performed in cylindrical congested volumes of hydrogen – air mixtures varying from 1.77 L to 7.07 L. The reactivity was controlled by the equivalence ratio of hydrogen-air mixtures, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5. The congestion was realized with varying numbers of grid layers and configurations. The influence of the obstacle density and the importance of the mixture reactivity to choose the strength index in order to predict the effects of an explosion has been highlighted for the TNO ME method. Predictive flame speed values from the BST method are in accordance with almost half of the experimental results and the method is conservative in most tested configurations. The use of the TNO ME method has been validated on a small-scale experiment to predict maximal overpressures generated by the deflagration of medium and large-scale H₂/air clouds.     

泡沫金属对甲烷/空气爆燃火焰的淬熄实验研究

为研究多孔材料对甲烷/空气预混气体爆燃火焰的抑制淬熄效果,运用一套自主设计的管道爆炸抑制系统进行实验研究。在实验中运用高速摄像机记录爆燃火焰在穿过多孔材料板时的淬熄过程,采用20,40,60,80PPI (孔目数) 的4种多孔材料,研究不同孔目数的多孔材料对爆燃火焰传播的形态结构、火焰传播速度以及抑制淬熄等特性的影响。结果表明:多孔材料的孔目数对爆燃火焰传播的早期阶段影响较小,爆燃火焰都经历了半球形火焰和指形火焰阶段;当火焰传播到多孔材料板时,孔目数越大对火焰的降速作用越强,80PPI工况下爆燃火焰不能穿过多孔材料板,即发生淬熄。实验结果揭示了多孔材料对火焰的淬熄作用与微孔通道和火焰的相互作用有关。     

Numerical analysis of hydrogen deflagration mitigation by venting through a duct

This paper presents a model and simulation results for the mitigation of a hydrogen–air deflagration by venting through a duct. A large eddy simulation (LES) model, applied previously to study both closed-vessel, and open atmosphere hydrogen–air deflagrations, was developed further to model a hydrogen–air explosion vented through a duct. Sub-grid scale (SGS) flame wrinkling factors were introduced to model major phenomena which contribute to the increase of flame surface area in vented deflagrations. Simulations were conducted to validate the model against 20% hydrogen–air mixture deflagrations (vent diameters 25 and 45 cm) and 10% hydrogen–air mixture deflagration (vent diameter 25 cm). There was reasonable correlation between the simulations and the experimental data. The comparative importance of different physical phenomena contributing to the flame wrinkling is discussed.     

气体爆燃火焰在狭缝中的淬熄

通过叙述可燃气体爆燃火焰在平行板狭缝中传播时产生淬熄的实验和理论研究结果，给出了甲烷，丙烷，乙炔，氢气等四种可燃气体与空气的预混气作为实验介质所进行的爆火焰淬熄实验中，火焰传播速度与淬熄直径、淬熄长度之间的关系。对于气体爆燃火争的淬熄理论模型进行了探讨，得到了有应用价值的结论。     

Experimental study on the quenching process of methane/air deflagration flame with porous media

This article reports experimental investigation of deflagration flame quenching behavior by porous media. In this study, a semi-vented deflagration chamber with a porous media plate was constructed, taking account of effects of obstacles and porous media materials on the flame quenching process. A high speed video camera was used to image the process and behavior of flame propagation, meanwhile, the gas-phase temperatures and ion currents, upstream, within, and downstream of the porous media, were measured using micro-thermocouples and ion probes, respectively. Results show that methane/air deflagration flame can be quenched by the Al₂O₃ porous media with thickness of 20 mm and pore density of 10 ppi. However, the presence of obstacles along the flame path may lead to significant increase of flame speed, thereby both the decreases of gas-phase temperature and ion current when the flame passes through the porous medium in the case with continuous obstacles are less, eventually the unburnt gases downstream the porous media may be reignited. Compared to Al₂O₃, Al porous media shows superior flame quenching performance because this metallic material has higher thermal conductivity, which makes combusting flame release more heat to the pore walls and adjoining structures of the porous media.     

铝粉尘云燃烧火焰形态分析实验研究

为探索铝粉尘云燃烧火焰形态和灾变演化,基于改造的竖直开口实验管道,借助高速摄像仪和离子探针,研究火焰结构及变化,分析粒径因素对铝粉火焰前锋形态的影响。实验结果表明:铝粉燃烧能量的释放和空间束缚使燃烧转为爆燃,火焰前锋下方存在大片的燃烧反应区;铝粉粒径越小,颗粒氧化层破裂需要的热应力越小,越容易被点燃;随着铝粉粒径减小,热膨胀对火焰传播速度的影响明显增强。     

氢气爆燃作用下核电站安全壳力学响应数值模拟分析

在核电站严重事故中,由氢气爆燃产生的压力载荷会危及安全壳完整性致其失效,进而造成放射性物质泄漏的严重危害。通过ANSYS/Fluent有限元数值模拟软件,建立了安全壳有限元模型,并对安全壳内氢气爆燃过程以及其力学特性进行了数值模拟研究,获得了氢气爆炸过程中的超压值、升压速率、安全壳变形以及压应力分布。结果表明:爆燃波传递引起压强升高,火焰阵面处压强最高,爆燃波所经区域超压疾速上升随后快速下降;爆燃作用下,顶部壳体和下部筒体连接区域混凝土位移最大,最大压应力也集中分布在该区域,最易受到破坏。获得的结论可为安全壳结构抗爆设计和安全性研究提供理论参考。     

Experimental study on methane explosion characteristics with different types of porous media

Porous media has a significant effect on flame and overpressure of methane explosion. In this paper, the pore diameter and thickness of porous media are studied. Nine experimental combinations of different pore diameter and thickness on the propagation of flame and overpressure of methane explosion in a tube are analyzed. The results show that the porous media not only can suppress the explosive flame propagation, but the porous media with large pore diameter can cause deflagration and accelerate the transition of flame from laminar to turbulent. The pore diameter of the porous media mainly determines the quenching of the flame. Simply increasing the thickness of porous media may cause the flame to temporarily stop propagating, but the flame is not completely extinguished for larger pore diameter. However, the deflagration propagation speed of flame is affected by the thickness. The attenuation of overpressure by porous media is mainly reflected in reducing the duration of overpressure and the peak value of overpressure. The smaller the pore diameter, the greater the thickness, and the more remarkable the reduction in overpressure duration and peak value. Suitable pore diameter and thickness of porous media can effectively suppress flame propagation and reduce the maximum value and duration of overpressure.     

The nature and large eddy simulation of coherent deflagrations in a vented enclosure-atmosphere system

The nature of coherent deflagration phenomena in a vented enclosure-atmosphere system is analysed. The study is based on experimental observations of SOLVEX programme in the empty 547-m³ vented enclosure and consequent analysis of the same test by large eddy simulations (LES). A comparison between simulated and experimental pressure transients and dynamics of flame front propagation inside and outside the enclosure gave an insight into the nature of the complex simultaneous interactions between flow, turbulence and combustion inside the enclosure and in the atmosphere. It is revealed through LES processing of experimental data that the substantial intensification of premixed combustion occurs only outside the empty SOLVEX enclosure and this leads to steep coherent pressure rise in both internal and external deflagrations. The external explosion does not affect burning rate inside the enclosure. There is only one ad hoc parameter in the LES model, which is used to account for unresolved subgrid scale increase of flame surface density outside the enclosure. The model allows reaching an excellent match between theory and experiment for coherent deflagrations in the empty SOLVEX facility. The mechanism of combustion intensification in the atmosphere is discussed and the quantitative estimation of the model ad hoc parameter is given.     

管道中氢气-空气爆轰的多级泄爆数值模拟研究

为了研究管道内氢气的爆燃转爆轰及其抑制过程,对单个障碍物管道中氢气-空气混合物燃爆过程以及多级泄爆进行了二维数值模拟。基于氢气-空气19步详细化学反应动力学机理,以及k-ε湍流模型、概率密度函数输运方程和同位网格SIMPLE算法,采用计算流体软件Fluent进行模拟。结果表明:密闭管道无泄爆时,在距点火端1.5 m左右爆燃转为爆轰;泄爆口的位置对管道内氢气-空气预混气体的爆炸参数有重要影响,泄爆口位于管道中部时,能降低管道内爆轰超压,泄爆效果较好;位于管道中部单个泄爆口泄爆时,有效降低爆轰超压,管道中部设置2个泄爆口时,能通过压力和混合气体的泄放将管道中已经发生的爆轰衰减为爆燃;当有3个泄爆口泄爆时,管道中没有发生爆轰,达到良好的泄爆效果。     

Numerical simulation of premixed methane–air deflagration in a semi-confined obstructed chamber

In this paper, large eddy simulation coupled with a turbulent flame speed cloure (TFC) subgrid combustion model has been utilized to simulate premixed methane–air deflagration in a semi-confined chamber with three obstacles mounted inside.The computational results are in good agreement with published experimental data, including flame structures, pressure time history and flame speed. The attention is focused on the flame flow field interaction, pressure dynamics, as well as the mechanism of obstacle-induced deflagration. It is found that there is a positive feedback mechanism established between the flame propagation and the flow field. The pressure time history can be divided into four stages and the pseudo-combustion concept is proposed to explain the pressure oscillation phenomenon. The obstacle-induction mechanism includes direct effect and indirect effect, but do not always occur at the same time.     

Determination of the performance limits of flame arresters at increased oxygen concentrations

This investigation shows how an increased oxygen concentration influences the performance limits of crimped ribbon deflagration flame arresters at elevated pressures. An evaluation of the maximum experimental safe gap (MESG) as reliable criterion for describing the performance limits under non-atmospheric conditions is given. Measurements of MESGs and flame arrester performance tests were performed. Various fuel/oxygen/air mixtures containing ethylene and propane were used as testing gases. Former studies on the pressure dependence and the influence of oxygen on the MESG were initially confirmed. Furthermore, performance tests using a commercial deflagration flame arrester revealed that such a flame arrester may prevent flame transmission also at non-atmospheric conditions within a limited range. For various oxygen concentrations the performance limits were reached at the same MESG. Hence, it can be assumed that a flame arrester possesses a device- and fuel-specific maximum experimental safe gap for a specific gas mixture in different concentrations and at different pressures. This performance-related maximum safe gap can be used as a parameter for estimating and describing the performance limits of a flame arrester. It offers an attempt to simplify the testing and qualification of deflagration flame arresters for non-atmospheric conditions.     

Experimental and LES investigation of premixed methane/air flame propagating in a chamber for three obstacle BR configurations

The paper aims at revealing the effect of blockage ratio (BR) on the flame acceleration process and the flame-vortex mechanism in an obstructed chamber based essentially on the experimental and numerical methods. In the experiments, high-speed video photography and pressure transducer are used to study the flame shape changes and pressure dynamics. In the numerical simulations, large eddy simulation (LES) with the flame surface density (FSD) model is applied to investigate the interaction between the moving flame and vortices induced by obstacle. The results demonstrate that the flame propagation process can be divided into four stages, namely spherical flame, finger-shaped flame, jet flame and volute flame for three obstacle BR configurations, and a small recirculation zone is observed above the obstacle only for BR = 0.5. The peak of flame tip speed and pressure growth rate increases with the blockage ratio. The generation and evolution of the vortex behind the obstacle can be attributed to the initial flame acceleration, while the subsequent flame deceleration is due to the flame-vortex interaction. In addition, the transition from a “thin reaction zones” to a “broken reaction zones” is also observed in the simulation.     

预混乙炔-空气爆燃火焰在平板狭缝中传播与熄灭的实验研究

通过对预混乙炔-空气爆燃火焰在平板狭缝中的传播与熄灭过程进行试验研究,分析临界火焰传播速度、狭缝高度和熄灭长度之间的关系。实验结果表明,当狭缝高度一定时,临界火焰传播速度越大,熄灭长度越大,熄灭长度与临界火焰传播速度近似呈正比例关系。在相同的临界火焰传播速度条件下,随着狭缝高度的增加,熄灭长度值迅速增大,说明狭缝高度对预混火焰的传播与熄灭有显著影响。     

Solution adaptive CFD simulation of premixed flame propagation over various solid obstructions

This paper presents the results of a number of calculations carried out in order to simulate combustion past obstacles of different shape and blockage ratio. The obstacle shapes considered are circles, squares, triangles and flat plates. Two-dimensional simulations are carried out with the McNEWT code. The code solves the reacting flow field with a laminar flamelet model on an unstructured mesh. Adaptive mesh refinement is applied so that the flame front is accompanied by mesh refinement throughout the calculation domain. A transition from laminar to turbulent combustion induced by passage past the obstacle is seen in the simulations. Evidence for the transition is found in the change in flame shape, flame speed and pressure. The simulations are compared with experimental data and there is good agreement between experiment and simulation.     

球形障碍物对瓦斯爆燃火焰影响试验研究

为进一步开发煤矿井下瓦斯爆炸事故的隔抑爆技术装备,利用截面为0.2 m×0.2 m的方形管道、纹影仪和高速摄像机,开展无障碍物时和球形障碍物存在情况下的瓦斯爆燃传播试验.研究发现,无障碍物时,密闭管道内爆燃火焰的结构和传播速度受反射压力波的影响很大,湍流火焰、化学反应作用能力与反射压力波的相互作用是造成火焰传播速度变化...